Sean Avery was suspended indefinitely by the NHL on Tuesday, hours after the Dallas Stars forward made a crude reference to former girlfriends while talking with reporters.

Avery’s inflammatory comments came following a morning skate in Calgary, Alberta, where the Stars were to play the Flames on Tuesday night. Reporters were waiting to speak with him about disparaging remarks he’d made last month about Flames star Jarome Iginla when Avery walked over to the group and asked if there was a camera present. When told there was, he said, “I’m just going to say one thing.”

“I’m really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada,” he said. “I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my (former girlfriends). I don’t know what that’s about, but enjoy the game tonight.” He then walked out of the locker room.

Avery used a crass term to refer to ex-girlfriends now dating other people.

Avery’s ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert of the television show “24” and the movie “Old School,” is dating Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf; she had been romantically linked to Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadiens. Avery also dated Rachel Hunter, the former Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model and actress who is now the girlfriend of Los Angeles Kings center Jarrett Stoll.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the punishment, saying Avery made “inappropriate public comments, not pertaining to the game.”

Stars 3, Flames 1: Fabian Brunnstrom’s breakaway goal at 7:53 of the second period stood up as the game-winner as Dallas beat Calgary.

Coyotes 4, Kings 2: Enver Lisin scored twice in a four-minute span of the third period to help Phoenix beat Los Angeles.

Flyers 4, Lightning 3: Mike Richards scored two goals, including the winner 2:05 into overtime, for Philadelphia. Tampa Bay missed an opportunity to win with 16.3 seconds left in regulation when Ryan Malone’s penalty shot was deflected as Martin Biron just got a piece of the puck.

Panthers 5, Capitals 3: Radek Dvorak, Ville Peltonen and Gregory Campbell had a goal and an assist each for Florida.

Canadiens 5, Thrashers 4: Andrei Kostitsyn scored with 5:11 remaining to lift Montreal. Atlanta netted three goals in less than a minute to erase a 3-0 deficit 7:27 into the third period.